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Satisfied customer is product goodwill ambassador
Customer is the focal point of every business. The very existence of business depends on customer satisfaction. A sound product and a competitive price are a must to please the customer but definitely not the only parameters that result in customer satisfaction. You can deliver the best product and still have unhappy customers. Most often clients are not technical experts and therefore base their satisfaction on other aspects of their interactions with you. So what does it
take to delight the elusive breed of people called the customers? The secret to success lies in managing their expectations effectively. Mind you this is no mean job! The customer is the most pampered person on earth and no wonder he expects the moon, the stars, the sky and also every thing below it!
In this era of stiff competition where every company is vying for a greater market share, you must work real hard to develop a loyal customer base.
This implies developing a consistent customer focus in the entire work force of the organisation. A customer often frames his opinion about the organisation based on his interactions with a single person or single department of the organisation. So it is not enough if the management waxes eloquently about customer centric strategies but every employee of the organisation needs to show the same enthusiasm to serve the customer efficiently. For this to happen you must focus on your employees first.
As someone very aptly pointed out employees are the internal customers of the organisation.
If you succeed in keeping your internal customers happy the game is half won! They will in turn be motivated to serve your actual customers better.
To make your client relations work you need to practice a strategy to manage customer expectations on a broader spectrum.
Customers expect different things at different times but you can put your best foot forward by paying attention to the following aspects:
Value addition: Clients look for value addition while choosing a product. They expect the product to enhance their ability to run their own business more efficiently. Therefore companies that understand customer needs and customise their products accordingly enjoy greater customer loyalty than those who simply ask the client to pick and choose from a preconceived list of products and services.
Efficiency: Client looks for efficiency and expertise from your end. Provide adequate training to your employees to handle clients efficiently. Though this sounds pretty obvious it is not uncommon to find employees cutting a sorry figure before the clients.
Progress: The client expects to be informed about the progress made on his project at regular intervals. It is important to explain the process followed by your company in measuring and reporting progress. Client communication should be accorded highest importance to avoid misunderstanding and also to iron out any differences.
Disclosure: He expects to learn about risks involved so that it becomes easier to cope with the inevitable bumps on the road. Similarly your credibility gets enhanced if you inform about any unavoidable delays well in advance to the client rather than spring last minute unpleasant surprises.
Adherence to timelines: The client expects you to honor commitments. Therefore it is always prudent to under promise and over deliver than the other way round. Make it a point to be just on time and not beyond or before schedule. Schedule overruns no doubt create problems but research indicates that work delivered before schedule is viewed skeptically too.
This is probably because the work delivered before time is perceived to be done in haste and lacking in perfection.
Consistency: Clients look forward to consistent performances. You can go one step further by trying to better your performance at every opportunity.
Trouble shooting: The customer expects you to listen, understand and solve his problems. Nothing frustrates a customer more than poor after sales service. It is important to view problems as opportunities to win back customer trust.
You demonstrate respect to the customer by promptly attending to his problems or complaints. A respected customer spreads the goodwill and brings in many more customers through word of mouth publicity.
By successfully managing these customer expectations you can be sure of a happy and thriving customer base. If you still have any doubts ask the customer himself about his expectations. Customers would be too willing to give frank feedback in return for better service!
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N. PURNIMA SRIKRISHNA
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